State Senator Jacqueline Collins delivered the following remarks Wednesday, March 14 alongside members of the Illinois Senate during a 20-minute walkout that coincided with student walkouts throughout the country to call for action on gun violence.State Senator Jacqueline Collins delivered the following remarks Wednesday, March 14 alongside members of the Illinois Senate during a 20-minute walkout that coincided with student walkouts throughout the country to call for action on gun violence.

I speak now because I respectfully requested that my colleague Senator Bush allot an additional three minutes to today’s action. I want to speak about who they symbolize.

Young people throughout the country raise their voices today to demand the protection they are due in a society that values life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It would be remiss of us today not to remember that the epidemic of gun violence recently took the life of one sworn protector, Police Commander Paul Bauer, who died in the line of duty in Chicago. He is just one of hundreds to lose his life to gun violence over the past year.Let us take three minutes of silence: One to honor Commander Bauer and two more to honor all victims of gun violence in Illinois.

We call gun violence an epidemic for a good reason – because guns and bullets do not care about race, religion, age, gender, or creed, whether you wear a school uniform or a police uniform. For that reason, we must stand united. Let us unite, and after today’s solidarity and reflection, let us raise our voices together.

State Senator Jacqueline Collins issued the following statement today after Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed legislation that would impose licensing on gun dealers in Illinois:State Senator Jacqueline Collins issued the following statement today after Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed legislation that would impose licensing on gun dealers in Illinois:

“In every corner of our country, the voices of young people who have seen the lives of their friends and loved ones cut short are raised in unison to call on us to act,” said Collins, D-Chicago. “By choosing to veto this legislation, the governor has chosen to ignore the clear voice of the people in favor of a gun lobby whose aims no longer represent the views of even the vast majority of gun owners.

“To do this is to turn his back on the families who, united in pain, have pushed for change and found support in the legislature.”

SPRINGFIELD – A rate hike on check cashing services will be lower than originally proposed, and rates for those on public assistance will become lower, under a compromise reached today.

State Senator Jacqueline Collins joined activists from a number of groups pushing against a higher proposal at a press conference today to thank advocates and explain the impact of new rates.

“Today is a good day for unbanked households, which are disproportionately lower-income, African-American, Hispanic and working-age people with disabilities,” said Collins (D-Chicago). “working with the Woodstock Institute and other consumer advocates, we were able to protect consumers from an across-the-board double-digit increase on the maximum fees that could be charged for check-cashing by Currency Exchanges. Most importantly, public assistance checks will see a rate decrease. We must continue to reform a system where those with the least pay the most.”

CHICAGO – Representatives of Fifth Third Bank addressed concerns from the community today surrounding what some have called onerous security measures at branches in some Chicago neighborhoods.

Senator Jacqueline Collins convened a hearing of the Senate Financial Institutions Committee at the Michael K. Bilandic Building to ask why some Fifth Third Bank branches in predominantly minority communities are equipped with buzz-in doors and metal detectors, citing other parts of Chicago and the surrounding suburbs that have had robberies but do not feature similar security measures.

“In addition to concerns that these inconsistent security practices may send a message of exclusion or prejudice to account-holding customers and members of the community, there have been questions about how difficult this can be for persons with disabilities,” Collins said. “I hope today’s meeting will foster greater understanding between Fifth Third Bank and the community and that it encourages them to adopt a security framework that protects its employees, property and assets while also protecting the dignity of its customers.”

The committee heard testimony from Eric Smith, regional president of Fifth Third Bank and Marsha Lee and Pam Bosley, members of the Auburn-Gresham community, who expressed their concerns about the practices.

The Rev. Michael Pfleger of the faith community of Saint Sabina also spoke to concerns he heard from the community, calling the doors “jail-like” and the security measures discriminatory.

In closing, Collins asked for a summation of the methodology and procedures involved in selecting bank branches for heightened security features. Collins is chairperson of the Senate Financial Institutions Committee.